How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
Unwanted pests can hide in lots of places around a home. From rats and mice to cockroaches and other creepy-crawlies, pests can find their way into your house via the basement, vents and ducts, or even an unsealed hole in the attic.
It’s usually not too hard to identify the source of most vermin, but did you know that a certain type of fly can spawn right out of your drains? The scientific name for these small pests is Clogmia Albipunctata, but they are commonly called the drain fly. The buildup of organic material in kitchen and bathroom drains creates the perfect breeding ground for this water-resistant bug.
Are Drain Flies a Danger to Our Health?
A few drain flies aren’t much of a nuisance, but these little creatures reproduce and spread quickly. Once a drain fly decides to call your drain home, that single fly can lay anywhere from 10-200 eggs that will all hatch within a couple of days.
After feasting on organic particles that get caught in drains, they become strong enough to travel through your pipes and emerge in your home. While small numbers of drain fly larvae can actually be beneficial by feeding on drain blockages and breaking them up, these creatures multiply rapidly enough that they turn into an infestation in just a few weeks.
Although drain flies do not transmit human diseases and aren’t considered detrimental to our health, any insects in your home can make it feel dirty. Here are a few ideas on how to dispose of drain flies for good!
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
Eradicating drain flies isn’t easy. They can survive water up to boiling temperatures, and you must account for full-grown adults as well as eggs and larvae. Drain flies are resistant to bleach and vinegar as well, and so you will have to use stronger methods to destroy them.
1. Start by Learning to Identify Drain Flies
Take some time to study the more common flies getting into your home through windows or entryways. These flies look different from drain flies, so if you’re familiar with them you will be able to tell right away if you see a fly that doesn’t look normal. Drain flies are fuzzy, light brown in color, and smaller than regular flies.
2. Locate the Source
Drain flies can come from organic buildups in any area where there is standing water. Check your bathroom drains, kitchen sink, shower, sump pump, sewage system, and even floorboards where there might be a pipe leak. Look for multiple flies hanging out on the walls near these possible sources.
Since these flies breed rapidly, if you spot a breeding ground in one plumbing orifice, chances are they’ve already moved on to other locations.
Tip: Drain flies can even be found in washing machine connections and outdoor roof drainage systems.
3. Destroy the Nest
This is not an easy DIY project to take on, but it’s possible. Start by trying a variety of household cleaners and clog removal liquids to kill the drain flies. These little pests are known for being highly resistant, which means that most cleaners aren’t guaranteed to eradicate them.
They are attracted to light sources, so luring them out of their nest with bright lights may make them more vulnerable to the chemicals. Be certain to break up any clogs with a pipe brush or snake to prevent them from settling back in! Our suggestion is to move right on to Step 4.
4. Call a Professional
No one wants disgusting flies crawling around their home!
Drain flies are problematic to locate, as they prefer to breed in the deep, dark crevices of your sewer system. If you suspect that you have drain flies, you will want to seriously consider giving us a call. We can stop their reproduction cycle right in its tracks and ensure that all your organic blockages are removed. This is the best way to prevent a repeat infestation!
